Santa Cruz County Section 8 housing wait list open, first time since 2011

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Jenny Panetta, executive director of Housing Authority of Santa Cruz County, at right, and Ellen Murtha answer questions at Thursday night’s No Place Like Home forum on the affordable housing crisis. (Dan Coyro — Santa Cruz Sentinel)

SANTA CRUZ — For the first time in seven years, the local housing authority has opened up the wait list for Section 8 rental vouchers, which means affordable rent for tenants if they can find a landlord who will accept the voucher.

The first step is to submit a pre-application to get into the lottery, which can be done in person, by mail or online by 5 p.m. Dec. 6.

“We chose to open the waiting list at this time to coincide with Affordable Housing Week,” said Jenny Panetta, executive director of Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz. “With so many families struggling to pay rent, we want all eligible families to have an opportunity to benefit from this program.”

Section 8 is an affordable housing program for low-income people, limiting their rent to 30 percent of their income with the federal government paying the rest.

The program serves families earning up to 50 percent of the median income, which in Santa Cruz County is $44,650 for family of two, $50,250 for a family of three, and $55,800 for family of four. In Santa Cruz County, Section 8 benefits 4,500 families who might otherwise be priced out of the market or become homeless.

The landlord sets the rent, with the maximum federal subsidy in Santa Cruz County $1,844 for a one-bedroom unit, $2,439 for a two-bedroom unit and $3,241 for a three-bedroom unit. Subsidy amounts are lower in San Lorenzo Valley and South County, where rents are less expensive.

“The opening of the wait list gives an opportunity, and hope, to those in our community who need assistance,” said Sonja Brunner, who chairs the Housing Authority board.

In July, Nancey Zafra, a single mother of two, was searching for a rental that would accept a Section 8 voucher. She has lived in Santa Cruz all her life. (Marcello Hutchinson-Trujillo — Santa Cruz Sentinel file)

One change was naming Blanca Mendoza the leasing specialist, giving landlords a single point of contact to answer questions. Another change was offering landlords reimbursement up to $2,500 in cases of unpaid rent, damages or legal fees for terminating a lease for violations in the first year.

Panetta said the incentive program is working well.

“Most of our landlords have a good experience,” she said. “However, if something goes wrong, it’s great to have this program available to help landlords mitigate any loss.”

Panetta said each valid application will be assigned a computer-generated random number that will determine a ranked position on the wait list.

All completed pre-applications received by the due date will be included in the lottery and added to the wait list, Panetta said, so there is no need to submit early.

Pre-applications can be submitted at hacosantacruz.org. Paper copies can be printed from that website and are available in the housing authority’s lobby, 2160 41st Ave., Capitola, which is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Those who apply online can print out a receipt immediately; those submitting a paper copy will get a letter confirming receipt in several weeks.

HOW TO APPLY

Online:hacosantacruz.org.Mail: To the Housing Authority at 2160 41st Ave., Capitola, CA 95010. It must be received by 5 p.m. Dec. 6, not postmarked by that date.FAX: 831-469-3712.In person: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday or use the outside drop box to the left of the entrance.Information: 831-454-5990.